


Forget Me Not

by albawrites



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: M/M, One-sided Minimus Ambus/Rewind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2014-08-04
Packaged: 2018-02-11 16:45:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2075514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/albawrites/pseuds/albawrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minimus Ambus wishes he wasn’t caught up in someone’s shadow all the time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forget Me Not

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: None of the characters are owned by the author, simply written for amusement and the fact that the Minimus probably doesn't receive nearly enough attention as he ought to and I like writing heartbreak sometimes.

Soon enough, the ship will be taking off. There's nothing to stop that fact, not even if he wanted it to. No war, no Cybertronian could prevent this. It's not a life that he's incredibly proud of, but it's his own. Absently, he stares into the empty, almost void-like home that belongs to him, but has ever been so rarely used. He adjusts the box under his arm and he turns away, walking.

There isn't much left of Cybertron that makes him feel wanted or needed. That's always been more or less the case. 

"Minimus!"

Immediately, he stops, turning his head to look down as the smaller mech approaches him in a hurry. "Did you get my messages?"

He did. "No. They must have been lost. I've been very busy, Rewind."

"You're still going to make a shipment? At a time like this?" Rewind's visor widens. "Dominus-- I can't find him. Not for days now. Did you hear from him?"

Dominus. Dominus is gone?

Briefly, there's an ugly thought that forms into his mind. _Good_. Hovering over him has always been the successful, brilliant, wonderful, and talented brother, Dominus Ambus. For years, he's felt crushed under the weight of his successes. Jealousy has sprung up over the centuries, burning brightly and furiously, until it just sputtered out and died and Minimus had, eventually, accepted his lot in life: he is no one and entirely forgettable.

Tiredly, Minimus looks down to Rewind, feeling sympathy for him. He should be a good brother and worry for Dominus. He should offer to help, assure Rewind that no doubt that Dominus should be fine. He should do these things. No matter how he feels, he should be more concerned about Rewind's feelings than his own.

What he says is, "There are soldiers who need the energon. I need to make sure it gets to them." Minimus pauses and looks at Rewind. Rewind, who looks angry, confused, tired, and pleading.

He hates feeling like this.

"I'll help you when I come back," Minimus promises.

Even as Minimus Ambus turns around, he can practically feel the Rewind's optics staring at his back. As he steps into the ship, Minimus tells himself he should have stayed behind to help, even if it's not for himself or for Dominus but for him. For Rewind.

Yet, he goes anyway.

And Minimus Ambus never comes back.

Time goes on, and when Minimus Ambus does return to Cybertron, it's under a new but old face, name, and presence. Ultra Magnus receives an intense reception, a welcome back, and he almost doesn't even know what to do with the attention. There was the forgettable Minimus Ambus who was recognized for nothing, and now people are looking to him as if he is worth something. They ask him _questions_ , opinions, and rely on him. It is overwhelming. It is everything he ever wanted, and at first he stumbles, surprised at how much he's _wanted_ by people, looked up to. Optimus Prime calls him friend, and the rest of the Autobots respect him.

It's dizzying and wonderful. It's horrible. No one remembers Minimus Ambus. There was never even a report for his disappearance. Minimus _who._

In due time, of course, he runs into Rewind again, only as _Ultra Magnus_. He isn't sure what he's hoping for, but as this, surely he could be impressive in some way. He could be recognized for what he could offer.

"I'd heard Dominus Ambus went missing sometime ago," Ultra Magnus says, keeping himself as detached as possible. "Was there any luck finding him?"

Rewind looks sullen and responds with, "No. Looks like he's still MIA."

Despite everything, Ultra Magnus feels the wickedness of satisfaction and fear at once. Without Dominus, he doesn't live in a shadow anymore. Without Dominus, he lacks a brother good at everything. He hates feeling glad, and he hates feeling frightened for Dominus at the same time. Emotions are complicated, and damn it he'd rather just pick one.

He hates, more than anything, how much he still cares for Dominus and Rewind. Sibling and someone unobtainable.

"My condolences."

"I know there really aren't any resources available to search for him right now, but if you do--" Rewind starts.

"I will." And to his own unsatisfaction, he means it. "Was there anything else that I could assist with?"

"Well, I know you're probably busy. You know, what with the war and all." It's spoken wryly with a small snort. "But, if you could keep an optic out for--"

"Rewind!"

Ultra Magnus remembers him. Eventually, he just adopted the name Chromedome, but he recalls the name he had before Minimus had left Cybertron a final time. The way Rewind turns to face Chromedome, visor bright and merry, just makes Ultra Magnus feel like his spark ought to shrivel away.

He does nothing and says nothing when Rewind and Chromedome's hands touch, not quite holding.

He isn't sure what he was hoping for, exactly. It's not as if Minimus adopted the Ultra Magnus armor to sweep someone off their feet; he did it because he could do the job, because it's a life he could have where he'd be important, strong, and dependable. Yet, something burns and dies in him as he calmly watches. The conversation ends, and Ultra Magnus nods politely, watching the pair depart.

He determines that it's better if he remains impersonal. It's better to close himself off, and frankly he knows that Chief Justice Tyrest would disapprove anyway. What was he possibly looking for by offering _anything_ to Rewind?

Nothing that he could possibly have.

Time rolls on. He devotes himself to the accord and little else. Autobots and Decepticons alike fear and respect him mutually. It's a terrifyingly good feeling. During the war, Ultra Magnus finds his place. The Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord, struggling to be empty inside.

Yet, when the war ends, there is that lost feeling again. Minimus Ambus could not find his place _before_ the war, and Ultra Magnus's place during it was easy to find.

So he accepts his place on the _Lost Light_. There are a couple hundred people on here, and if there's something he can do, he can try to protect them.

Then there's Rewind. Mischievous and clever Rewind, who drops a disc on his way to his hab-suite. When he turns sharply to pick it up, Rewind freezes when he watches Ultra Magnus delicately take it.

"Magnus--" Rewind starts.

A stern, silent look is given, then Ultra Magnus looks at the disc. He scans its contents.

He frowns.

He should do something about Rewind keeping this sort of thing. He would with anyone else, but all he does is hand it to Rewind.

"Be more careful," Ultra Magnus advises tiredly.

Rewind offers a surprised but relieved smile up to him before agreeing to being more cautious.

Like war, time marches on. There was the battle on the _Lost Light_ against Overlord, which had nearly killed him. The events of Luna-1 that spun his universe around and forced him out of the armor, despite its comforting lines. He had to step outside of the lines. He had to confront several matters about himself and others. In some ways, he feels lighter. 

In others, there is an unbearable weight on his chest.

He didn't have a chance to hear about Pipes and Rewind until much, much later when it was brought up by Swerve, who was surprised at first that Ultra Magnus didn't know then realized, of course, there was no reason for him to know considering he was dying at the time of the respective funerals.

As they leave Luna-1, he sits in his room for the first time in ages. Undoubtedly, it's hit Chromedome much harder, but in his own way, Ultra Magnus feels the loss. He'd never told Rewind the truth, never felt that he could. He never told him that Minimus Ambus lives, or saw if he cared enough to know. For years and years, he never told Rewind how _exactly_ he felt.

It never mattered. Rewind was happy with who he was with, but it seems that much more painful to swallow those feelings now.

Something's off in his room.

Ultra Magnus sees the drawer at his desk slightly ajar. He's about to just close it, but he pauses and considers for a moment before he opens the drawer.

A data slug.

Frowning, Magnus reaches inside, plucking the tiny, fragile object gently into his fingertips. He should run tests, see who it belongs to, but... no.

No, he just plugs it into himself to play it.

" _This is Rewind. I thought about talking to you about it at movie night, but you never really attend those. So I figured I'd leave it in a way that'd get your attention. I don't know how I missed it before, but I guess it was because Ultra Magnus and I rarely crossed paths until now. I had a lot of deja vu, and I was trying to figure out why. Then it hit me, you know? The little things. Your handwriting, how you straightened Drift's desk, when you let me off that one time with the discs -- all kinds of things. I wondered why you never told me, Minimus. I wondered what you were so afraid of. But that's your business, you know? I think you'll tell someone when you're ready. But I wanted you to know that I know, and that I hope you're happy with what you're doing. Just don't be afraid to be Minimus. Let's talk after movie night._ "

There's silence afterward. Ultra Magnus stares down at the data slug in his hand.

Armor parts and gives him space, letting Minimus Ambus steps forward with the data slug clutched in his fingers. He gazes down at it.

He was ready to be forgotten.

But despite everything, Rewind _did_ remember him. In some way, that is closure.


End file.
